Google Classroom is an online forum that allows teachers to electronically post assignments, create announcements, and communicate with students. Despite a few problems, the site has gotten many positive reviews since it was first introduced to Hollis Brookline at the beginning of last school year.

With Google Classroom, students can now go to one website to access all their assignments, regardless of the teacher. Michele Philpot ‘17 said that all her classes are now in one place, making it “really easy to go from one subject to the next and get homework updates and other announcements.”

Classroom mobile notifications are also a great reminder for those who may not constantly check every class’ livestream, which displays an up-to-date list of all posts, both past and present. Reminders can be general announcements or graded assignments, keeping students up to date and eliminating any confusion.

The website increases communication by not only allowing students to submit assignments, but by giving teachers the capability of replying electronically.

“I like when teachers allow comments and discussions through Classroom, and I also like when they give feedback on submitted work,” said Leslie Comeau ‘17. Students are also able to receive feedback by posting any questions or comments for the whole class to read and respond to on the class forum. Comeau encourages students to use the discussion forum as a way to ask questions about homework and discuss challenging concepts; the application can be a great way to get a quick answer from a variety of sources.

In addition to initiating class discussion, Classroom’s electronic platform allows teachers to  easily see which students have submitted each assignment.

“It helps me as a teacher to then go to that student earlier rather than later,” said Rodney Clark, science teacher at Hollis Brookline. Clark also appreciates the “green” nature of Classroom, which reduces the use of paper, making it an environmentally conscious form of communication and assessment. He hopes that, in the future, each student will have a school laptop to use within the classroom. “That’s a big step that this district needs to make,” Clark  said. Personal laptops would not only eliminate issues that students and teachers currently face, but they would also provide easier access to the individuals who have already benefitted from the new platform.